Method and apparatus for endoscopic delivery

Abstract

A method of delivering a device with an endoscope comprises the steps of: providing an endoscope having a sheath with a hollow passage, a wire assembly slidably positioned within the hollow passage, an actuating member operably connected to a proximal end of the wire assembly, and a flexible loop connected to a distal end of the wire assembly; positioning the flexible loop around at least a portion of the device to be delivered; drawing a retractable portion of the loop into the sheath with a first tensile force; delivering the device to its destination location; and drawing the retractable portion of the loop further into the sheath with a second tensile force. Once the flexible loop has been positioned around at least a portion of the device to be delivered, the retractable portion of the loop is drawn into the sheath with the first tensile force, which is sufficient to tighten the loop around the device so that the device can be effectively delivered to a destination location with the endoscope. However, the first tensile force is insufficient to break the flexible loop. Once the device has been delivered to its destination location, the retractable portion of the loop is drawn further into the sheath with a second tensile force, which is greater than the first tensile force. The second tensile force is sufficient to break the flexible loop, thereby freeing the delivered device from the endoscope at its destination location, e.g., within a patient's small intestine (duodenum).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An endoscopic device comprising: 
 a sheath having a hollow passage;    a control member slidably positioned within the hollow passage of the sheath, the control member having a proximal end and a distal end;    an actuating member moveable between a first position and a second position, the actuating member being operatively connected to the proximal end of the control member in a manner to cause the distal end of the control member to move between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the sheath; and    a flexible loop connected to the distal end of the control member, at least a portion of the loop being retractable into the sheath when the distal end of the control member is moved toward its retracted position, the loop being made of a non-conductive material, the loop having a frangible portion that is configured to break when a sufficient tensile force is applied to the loop.    
     
     
         2 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1  wherein the loop is made of a non-metallic material.  
     
     
         3 . The endoscopic device of  claim 2  wherein the loop is made of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         4 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1  wherein the loop is configured to encircle a device having a diameter larger than a diameter of the hollow passage of the sheath, the loop being configured to tighten around the device when the retractable portion of the loop is retracted into the sheath as a result of the distal end of the control member being moved toward its retracted position under a first tensile force that is sufficient to tighten the loop around the device but insufficient to break the frangible portion of the loop, the frangible region of the loop being configured to break, and thereby release the device, when the distal end of the control member is moved further toward its retracted position under a second tensile force greater than the first tensile force.  
     
     
         5 . A method of delivering a device with an endoscope, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing an endoscope comprising a sheath having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow passage extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a flexible loop adapted to extend out the distal end of the sheath, at least a portion of the loop being retractable into the distal end of the sheath, the loop having a frangible portion configured to break when a sufficient tensile force is applied to the loop;    encircling a portion of the device to be delivered with the flexible loop;    retracting a portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath to cause the loop to tighten around the device;    delivering the device from a starting location to a destination location using the endoscope while the loop is tightened around the device; and    further retracting the portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath so that a tensile force is applied to the loop, the tensile force being sufficient to break the frangible portion of the loop.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of further retracting the portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath so that a tensile force is applied to the loop is performed after the steps of encircling a portion of the device to be delivered with the flexible loop and retracting a portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath to cause the loop to tighten around the device.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of retracting a portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath to cause the loop to tighten around the device is performed with the device at its starting location, and wherein the step of further retracting the portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath so that a tensile force is applied to the loop is performed with the device at its destination location.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of retracting a portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath to cause the loop to tighten around the device includes drawing a portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath with a first tensile force, the first tensile force being sufficient to tighten the loop around the device so that the device can be effectively delivered to its destination location with the endoscope, but the first tensile force being insufficient to break the frangible portion of the loop.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of further retracting the portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath so that a tensile force is applied to the loop includes drawing the portion of the loop into the distal end of the sheath with a second tensile force greater than the first tensile force, the second tensile force being sufficient to break the frangible portion of the loop.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of providing an endoscope includes the step of providing an endoscope with a flexible loop made of a non-conductive material.  
     
     
         11 . A method of delivering a device with an endoscope, the endoscope having a sheath with a hollow passage, a wire assembly slidably positioned within the hollow passage of the sheath, an actuating member operatively connected to a proximal end of the wire assembly, and a flexible loop connected to a distal end of the wire assembly, at least a portion of the loop being retractable into the sheath, the loop having a frangible portion, the method comprising the steps of: 
 positioning the flexible loop around at least a portion of the device to be delivered by the endoscope;    drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath in a manner to tighten the loop around the device;    delivering the device from a starting location to a destination location using the endoscope; and    drawing the retractable portion of the loop further into the sheath with sufficient force to break the frangible portion of the loop, thereby freeing the delivered device at its destination location.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath in a manner to tighten the loop around the device is performed by operating the actuating member in manner to cause the distal end of the wire assembly to move in the direction of the proximal end of the wire assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  where the step of delivering the device from a starting location to a destination location is performed after the steps of positioning the flexible loop around the device and drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath to tighten the loop around the device.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath to tighten the loop around the device is performed with the device at its starting location, and wherein the step of drawing the retractable portion of the loop further into the sheath to break the frangible portion of the loop is performed with the device at its destination location.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath in a manner to tighten the loop around the device includes drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath with a first tensile force, the first tensile force being sufficient to tighten the loop around the device so that the device can be effectively delivered to its destination location with the endoscope, but the first tensile force being insufficient to break the frangible portion of the loop.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of drawing the retractable portion of the loop further into the sheath to break the frangible portion of the loop includes drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath with a second tensile force greater than the first tensile force, the second tensile force being sufficient to break the frangible portion of the loop.  
     
     
         17 . A method of delivering a device with an endoscope, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing an endoscope comprising: 
 a sheath with a hollow passage;  
 a wire assembly slidably positioned within the hollow passage of the sheath;  
 an actuating member operatively connected to a proximal end of the wire assembly; and  
 a flexible loop connected to a distal end of the wire assembly, at least a portion of the loop being retractable into the sheath;  
   positioning the flexible loop around at least a portion of the device to be delivered by the endoscope;    drawing the retractable portion of the loop into the sheath with a first tensile force that is sufficient to tighten the loop around the device so that the device can be effectively delivered to a destination location with the endoscope, the first tensile force being insufficient to break the flexible loop;    delivering the device to its destination location using the endoscope; and    drawing the retractable portion of the loop further into the sheath with a second tensile force that is greater than the first tensile force, the second tensile force being sufficient to break the flexible loop, thereby freeing the delivered device from the endoscope at its destination location.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of providing an endoscope with a flexible loop includes providing an endoscope with a flexible loop having a frangible portion that is capable of withstanding the first tensile force but not the second tensile force.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of providing an endoscope with a flexible loop includes providing an endoscope with a flexible loop made of a non-conductive material.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the device to be delivered is a feeding tube and wherein the step of delivering the device includes delivering at least a portion of the feeding tube to a location within a patient's stomach.